This section is intended to provide a background or context to the invention recited in the claims. The description herein may include concepts that could be pursued, but are not necessarily ones that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, what is described in this section is not prior art to the description and claims in this application and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Large industrial machines may include hose or tube arrangements (e.g., bellows) that are used to transport fluids between one or more components of the machine. Tubes of the arrangement are often attached to a static component of the machine in order to support the tube in a desired position and maintain alignment with another component of the machine. For instance, an aftercooler assembly for an engine may include one or more tubes or hoses that require additional support. The assembly may be secured to a platform or another static component of the machine in order to substantially prevent movement and maintain a desired alignment of the tubes and/or hoses to one or more ports (e.g., engine ports). However, typical attachment mechanisms (e.g., a mounting bracket and hose clamp) may be rigid, which can make it difficult to assemble and install the fluid tubes while maintaining alignment with the necessary components. In addition, a rigid attachment mechanism may be subjected to a significant amount of stress in preventing movement of the fluid tubes, which can cause damage to and lead to failure of the attachment mechanism and/or the associated fluid tubes.
Some engines may include a mounting mechanism for a pipe arrangement that is movable to some extent relative to another engine component. An example of such a mounting mechanism can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,562,800, issued Jan. 7, 1986, for “Engine Intake Pipe Arrangement for Automotive Vehicle,” which discloses wherein “fastening bands are arranged adjacent the respective mounting rings in a manner to partly encircle the intake pipe.” Further disclosed is wherein “the bridging portions of the mounting rings and the fastening bands enable the intake pipe to be supported on the intake manifold in a so-called floating manner.” However, movement of the intake pipe is subject to the resilience of the fastening bands, rather than being controllable. Also, the intake pipe is only movable in a single direction or plane.